Comparing the Canadian and US systems of health care in an era of health care reform

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide an informed comparison of health care in the United States and Canada along multiple dimensions. Specifically this article looks at coverage, access, cost, health outcomes, satisfaction, and underlying ideology. Canada fares better than the United States with regard to coverage, cost, and health outcomes. While overall access is better in Canada, patients are sometimes required to endure longer wait times than in the United States. Reports of satisfaction levels vary across studies, but most evidence points toward comparable levels of satisfaction in Canada and the United States. Strong ideological differences underlie the Canadian and American systems, making the acceptance and implementation of certain reforms difficult. The potential impact of the US Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as well as recent Canadian health care reforms on coverage, access, cost, and health outcomes are also discussed.